ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a significant ruling clarifying that the widow of a deceased retired employee is the lawful recipient of the employee’s pension and retirement benefits, not the deceased’s siblings.
The four-page judgment was issued by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, providing clear guidance on the legal entitlement to pension payments following the death of a retired government employee.
According to the ruling, the pension and post-retirement benefits of a deceased retired employee can only be claimed by the widow or another person who has been legally nominated in accordance with the applicable laws and service rules.
The court emphasized that merely being a legal heir does not automatically entitle brothers or sisters of the deceased employee to receive pension benefits. It stated that pension is governed by specific statutory provisions and institutional regulations rather than the general principles of inheritance.
The judgment further noted that pension payments must be made strictly in accordance with the relevant laws, pension regulations, and the service rules of the concerned government department or institution.
The Supreme Court delivered the ruling while dismissing an appeal filed by the siblings of a deceased Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) employee, who had sought the issuance of a succession certificate for the employee’s pension-related benefits.
The apex court upheld the earlier decision of the Peshawar High Court, which had ruled that the deceased employee’s siblings were not legally entitled to receive the pension under the applicable rules.
The ruling reinforces the legal distinction between inheritance rights and pension entitlements, making it clear that pension benefits are regulated by specific laws and cannot automatically be distributed among all legal heirs unless permitted under the relevant legal framework.
Legal experts say the judgment is likely to serve as an important precedent in future disputes involving pension claims by family members of deceased government employees, ensuring that pension authorities follow the applicable laws and nomination rules when determining beneficiaries.
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